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Bucket List Community News AI Usage Policy for Journalists

At Bucket List Community News, we are committed to delivering high-quality, ethical journalism while embracing innovative technologies. This policy outlines our approach to using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our news operation, ensuring transparency and maintaining the trust of our readers.

This policy applies to BLCN staff, editors, interns, student journalists, freelancers and other contributors. Anyone submitting work to BLCN must disclose AI use and follow the reviewing and verification requirements.

AI Applications in Our Newsroom

Content Enhancement

  • Headline Generation/SEO: AI assists in crafting engaging headlines and optimized SEO, subject to human review and approval.
  • Audio and Video Conversion: We utilize AI to convert written stories into audio formats, expanding accessibility.
  • Transcription and Translation Services: AI aids in transcribing interviews and audio content, improving efficiency, and helping with translation.

Editorial Assistance

  • Research and Story Discovery: AI tools help identify trending topics and potential story leads.
  • AI may assist with research and summarize documents, but you must check its output against the original material and verify it through reliable sources. AI-generated summaries should never replace reviewing the source itself when accuracy or context is important.
  • Fact-Checking: We employ AI to support our fact-checking processes, always verified by human journalists.
  • Copy Editing: AI assists in initial copy editing, with final review by our editorial team.

Creative Process

  • Content Inspiration: AI may suggest ideas or angles, but all content is human-written and edited.
  • BLCN does not use or publish AI-generated images, illustrations or other visuals. All images published by BLCN must come from identifiable, non-AI sources and follow our standards for accuracy, verification and attribution.
  • Generative AI must not be used to add, remove or substantially alter elements in news photographs, video or audio. Routine technical adjustments may be made only when they do not change the factual meaning of the original material.

Our Ethical Commitments

  1. Human Oversight: All AI-generated or AI-assisted content undergoes thorough human review before publication.
  2. Responsibility: The journalist and approving editor remain responsible for the accuracy, fairness and originality of all AI-assisted material. Using an AI tool does not reduce or transfer responsibility for errors.
  3. Transparency: We clearly disclose when AI has been used in the creation or processing of content.
  4. Accuracy: AI is used to enhance, not replace, human judgment in ensuring factual accuracy.
  5. Quotes: AI must never be used to invent, complete, or materially alter a quotation. Any quotation published by BLCN must accurately reflect the speaker’s recorded or documented words
  6. Interviews: AI must not be used to fabricate sources, interviews, eyewitness accounts, or attribution. AI-generated information cannot be presented as information obtained through original reporting.
  7. Privacy: We adhere to strict data protection practices when using AI technologies.
  8. Confidential Information: Staff and contributors must not enter confidential sources, unpublished reporting, private personal information or other sensitive material into publicly available AI systems. Only approved tools with appropriate privacy protections may be used to process sensitive newsroom information.
  9. Fairness: We regularly audit our AI systems to prevent bias and ensure fair representation.
  10. Continuous Evaluation: Our AI usage policy is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practices and ethical standards.
  11. Training: Our staff receives ongoing training on the ethical use of AI in journalism.

Conclusion

At Bucket List Community News, AI is a tool to augment our journalism, not replace human creativity and judgment. We remain committed to producing original, thoughtful, and accurate reporting that serves our community. Our use of AI aims to enhance our ability to deliver quality journalism while maintaining the highest ethical standards.